Electric piano-player



(No Model.)

J. D. CASE & 0. W. EVANS.

ELECTRIC PIANO PLAYER. No. 430,066. Patented June 10, 1890.

i III &

.vitlormg PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH D. CASE AND CLARK WV. EV

ANS, OF PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY.

ELECTRIC PIANO-PLAYER.

srncrrrcn'rron forming part of Letters Application filed September 4, 1888 To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOSEPH D. CASE and CLARK WV. EVANS, citizens of the United States, residing at Plainfield, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Piano-Players; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enabl others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates, generally, to electrical piano-players, and particularly to that class shown and described in a pending application filed by us -September 10, 1886, Serial No. 213,244..

The object of our invention is to provide means whereby the expression as well as the tones will be given perfectly; and the nature of our invention consistsin constructions and combinations whereby the keys are struck with varying force, so that the object of our invention is obtained.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a diagrammatic view of our invention; Fig. 2, a modification, and Fig. 3 a sheet of music arranged in accordance with our invention.

A represents the cylinder over which the music-sheet A passes, and is formed by means of metal rings a, arranged upon a bar A and insulated from each other by means of smaller rings a, of gutta-percha or other non-conducting material, and is connected by terminals B, leading to the magnets B, which operate the piano-keys, said magnets 13 having a re turn-wire B leading to the batteries.

C C C are terminals which rest upon the cylinder A, between which passes the perforated music-sheet A, as shown, described, and claimed in another application filed September 5, 1888, Serial No. 284,637. The terminalsC are connected with a batteryD. Terminals C are connected with a battery D of greater power than battery D, and terminals C are connected with another battery D of still greater power than battery D, for the purpose of throwing in or out greater or less intensity. Instead of the cylinder, as shown in Fig. 1, the cylinder can be dispensed with and the several terminals B and C connect Patent No. 430,066, dated June 10, 1890.

. Serial No. 284,578, (No model.)

prefer the former arrangement. \Ve have also illustrated and described several batteries of different intensityin connection with terminal contacts for transmitting to the magnets the varying current intensities or pressure; but it is evident to those skilled in the electrical art that the different current i11- ous ways. When the form shown in Fig. 2 is used, the terminals B and C are separated by the music-sheet and make connection only ration in the music.

We have for the sake of clearness shown but three terminals in Fig. 1 and one in Fig. 2 that fall through the perforations in the music-sheet, also three batteries, and do not wish to be confined to that number, as any number of terminals and batteries can be used.

To produce tremolo effect we connect a make-and-break device, preferably a vibrating magnet E, with the return-wire B leading to the batteries, and it is connected with the cylinder and operated in the same manner as the other magnets. It is alsoobvious same manner as the keys.

The operation of the device The sheet of music having the perforations for the notes and perforations for throwing in or out one or more batteries or resistances to properly express the tone desired is passed over the cylinder A. The terminals C C 0*, as the note-perforations pass under them, fall into the perforations in the sheet and make contact with the cylinder to complete the circuit and cause the electro-magnets to operate the piano-keys. If terminal C falls through, a light blow is struck, if terminal C falls through a medium blow is struck, and if terminal C falls through a sharp blow is struck, and so on through the number of terminals and batteries used,the strength of the blow being determined by the number of terminals that fall through the perforations in the music-sheet. It is obvious thata current sufficiently strong to operate, say, ten keys or magnets at one time would act stronger upon a less number of magnets unless the surplus current were diverted or taken up or cut out with each other, as shown in Fig. 2 but we from said remaining magnet or magnets. To

that the pedal action can be operated in the is as follows:

tensities or pressures may be effected in va'riwhen the terminal C falls through the perfoobviate this difficulty we provide extra terminals to be thrown in or out of circuit by means of extra perforations or notes in the music-sheet, which take up and divert the surplus current, and thereby equalize the strength of current throughout the instrument.

e have stated that the different current intensities or pressures may be effected in various ways. Thus, for instance, a single battery of maximum intensity may be substituted for a number of batteries of different intensity, in which case variable or other resistances are included in the circuit between one end of the battery and the contact terminals, as indicated by dotted lines, Fig. 1, wherein F represents the single battery and f f f the varying or variable resistances.

From the foregoing it will be noted that the herein-described invention comprises a main circuit, a number of separate batteries of different intensity in multiple-arc relation with said circuit, each battery having a number of terminals in multiple-arc relation, a number of separate magnets for actuating the separate piano-keys and having separate terminals in multiple-arc relation with the main circuit, and said contact terminals for the magnets and for the batteries being relatively grouped and actuated by the musicsheet in order that currents of the same or varying intensity can be directly transmitted to the separate magnets as desired.

Having fully described our in ven t-ion, what we claim is- 1. In an electric piano-player, the combination, with electro-magnets foroperating the piano-keys, of a circuit and a battery or batteries therefor, two sets of one or more oppositely-located terminals in said circuit, and a cylinder forming part of said circuit and connecting said terminals, substantially as set forth.

2. In an electric piano-player, the combination, with electro-magnets for operating the piano-keys, of a circuit therefor including two sets of oppositely-located terminals, one set of said terminals comprising terminals connected to two or more batteries of different intensities, and a cylinder forming part of said circuit and connecting said terminals, substantially as set forth. a

In an electric piano-player, the combination of a circuit having one or more terminals connected with a battery or batteries, a divided cylinder forming a part of said circuit and connected by other terminals with electro-magnets for operating the piano-keys, substantially as set forth.-

t. In an electric piano-player, the combination of a circuit having two or more terminals connected with batteries of different intensity, a divided cylinder forming a part of said circuit and connected by other terminals with electro-magnets for operating the piano-keys, substantially as set forth.

5. 111 an electric piano-player, the combination of a music-sheet, electric supplies of different intensities, electro-magnets, circuitconnections, and oppositely-located terminals for each of such source of supply and act uated by said music-sheet to make and break such circuit-connections for transmitting currents of equal and of varying intensity or pressure to said electro-magnets, substantially as set forth.

(3. In an electric piano-player, the combination of two or more batteries of different intensity, each having terminals, a perforated music-sheet passing between said terminals, and magnets for operating the piano-keysincluded in said circuit and connected with said batteries and with the conductor over which the music-sheet passes, substantially as set forth.

7. In an electric piano-player, the combination of a main circuit, separate electromagnets for the piano-keys, having terminals in multiple-arc relation with one side of said main circuit, separate batteries in multiple are relation with said main circuit, and each battery having a number of separate terminals in multiple-arc relation forming the other side of said main circuit, and a music sheet operating said electro-magnets and battery terminals for directly transmitting to the magnets currents of the same and of varying intensities, as set forth.

8. In an electric piano-player, the combination of electrically-operated keys, one or more terminals connected with a battery or batteries and connecting with other terminals in circuit with a make-and-break device for producing tremolo eifect,sul')stantially as set forth.

9. In an electric piano-player, the combination of. a music-sheet, a source of electric supply, electro-magnets, circuit-connections, and oppositely-located contact terminals actuated by said music-sheet to take up and divert surplus currents to equalize the strength of the current throughout the instrument, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we atfix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH D. CASE. CLARK \V. EVANS. Witnesses:

AUGUSTUS MERRITT, WM. ANDERSON. 

